In one place, it was suggested that well off youngsters (teenagers, or a bit older maybe) carried lightweight bastard swords.

I'm wondering if anyone knows if this is true, and when, where and by whom these weapons were carried.

This also obviously touches on the practice of dueling - when did it begin and where? I thought that was more of a Renaissance thing? Can someone point me to some sources that are semi-easily available?

Thanks!

Daily sword carry is more of a very late 15th - 16th century phenomenon. In many cities across Northern Europe, the open carrying of swords was banned (Bruges is an excellent example, as is he legal exception made for Genose merchants going to and from their ships).

People travelling outside of a city or town would often carry swords, as a number of illustrations from sources as varied as Chaucers Canterbury tales, to art depicting couriers and the like. "Power & Profit" covers documentation regarding the hazards of travel, and the exceptions made to weapons carry that I mentioned above.

I believe the phenomenon of daily sword carry arises in Southern Europe, during the last of the reconquista and the begining of the Italian wars, and spreads to Northern Europe through the contact between the various contenders during the course of the Italian wars.

The code of the duel is strictly a 16th century phenomenon to my understanding, the lower classes 'aping' the aristocracy to a degree, at the same time the phenomenon of trial by combat was dying out amongst the aristocracy. Carrying a sword (thereby implying one had 'honour' to defend) was a method of the Bourgois and recent admitees to the ranks of the gentry of adapting thier values to their perceptions of how 'gentlemen' were supposed to behave, and a product of their social climbing, as much as their habit of buying manors once amassing fortunes from less afluent members of the traditional second estate.

It is a phenomenon I can only touch on, and deserves careful study anbd research for those interested. Sydney Anglos "Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe" covers it a bit, and I would recommend that as a place to start.

As a 15th century civilian traveler, presumably riding between point A & B, and seeking to be able to defend yourself, I would recommend the combination of a single hand arming sword and buckles, as seen in many miniatures of "The Canterbury Tales".

--------------------